T-Mobile says iPhone isn't worth it (for now)

T-Mobile isn't willing to make sacrifices just to stock Apple's iPhone

T-Mobile does not sell Apple's iPhone; it isn't exactly news. Some former T-Mobile customers have even gone so far as to move on to other wireless providers for this reason alone. But really, we don't need to tell you how coveted every new generation of the iPhone continues to be.

Still, that steady popularity on its own just isn't enough for T-Mobile to consider adding the smartphone to its lineup. Especially with the potential sacrifices that could mean for a smaller-scale provider. Just look at what happened with Sprint after it began offering the iPhone in 2011; the deal drove up the carrier's subsidy costs, and it's not expecting to turn a profit on iPhone sales until 2015.

And then there's the potential risks in cutting out other devices entirely. Taking on something as big (and as costly) as the iPhone could mean nixing a certain number of smartphones from other manufacturers (and more budget-friendly ones, at that). According to a recent report from FierceWireless, T-Mobile isn't quite ready for this, but that doesn't mean it doesn't want to be.

"Make no mistake about it: We would love to carry the iPhone. However, we want the economies to be right for us," said Jim Alling, COO of T-Mobile USA. Alling's comments were made during the Morgan Stanley 12th Annual Technology, Media & Telecoms Conference in Barcelona, Spain. MetroPCS was also present during the discussion, as the two companies are expected to merge in 2013. Both are in agreement that it's not the right time to take on Apple's iPhone.